BEHIND THE BRUTAL murder of Thakiyuddin A. Wahid, Managing Director of East-West
Airlines, in front of his own office in Bombay last week, the involvement of the city's
underworld was suspected. But the brother of Wahid and Chairman of the Airlines, Mr.
Naziruddin A. Wahid, has blamed business rivalry and suspects hostile vested interests for
the crime. A leading travel agent, Wahid was popular in his business. While it is for the
police to solve the mystery behind this murder, the State administration can no longer
afford to take this challenge to the law and order situation in the city in a routine
manner.
The murder of Sunit Khatau, Managing Director of Khatau Makanji Spinning and of Weaving,
and yet another leading industrialist some time ago had rung the alarm bells on the threat
posed to the rule of law by the underworld of the city. The observation of the designated
TADA court judge, Mr. J. N. Patel, that the city is totally controlled by the mafia and
that the law enforcement machinery has become inoperative clearly points to the
deteriorating situation. On an earlier occasion, an executive of a Calcutta-based
engineering company, on a routine official visit, had checked in a city hotel, but on
mistaken identity he was done to death in his room by suspected contract killers. An
attempt on a textile industry magnate's life by hired hoodlums was foiled by providence.
Often, rivalry among businessmen is cited for such murders. The suspected nexus between
criminals and businessmen has only added to the complexities of police investigations.
The suspicion that businessmen find it useful to hire criminals for a variety of
purposes has made the task of police even more difficult. At least in one case, the murder
was linked to the underworld's involvement in land dealings although in Wahid's case, the
speculation on his links with the Mafia has been refuted by his brother. But the murders
of businessmen and political activists only show that the city's Mafia is flexing its
muscle in a blatant challenge to the authorities. Gang wars and contract killing have not
been new to the city's ethos over the decades. The ganglords of the city have enjoyed
patronage in high places and when criminals are brought to book, they often go scot free
as the prosecution fails to produce adequate evidence to secure conviction in the court as
the TADA judge has regretted. The serious situation arising from the mafia virtually
running a parallel administration in sensitive areas could not be tackled by those at the
helm who were seen lacking political will to take stern action against the culprits.
As Maharashtra is on the threshold of rapid industrial development and among the
frontline States in attracting foreign and domestic investors, it needs to ensure that it
retains their confidence in the State's law and order situation. The State administration
should send the message loud and clear to the mafiosi that crime does not pay even as the
rule of law takes its own course. But, unfortunately in this country, political
intervention and bureaucratic apathy cause much public frustration. The Government has to
tighten its law enforcement machinery by weeding out elements suspected to be hand in
glove with criminals as they subvert the system from within. The killing of the East-West
Airlines official has only underscored the urgency of overhauling the city's police
administration. Policemen should have modern tools in handling the present day crime
gangs. Prompt prosecution of the offenders followed by speedy disposal of the cases by the
courts are the sine quo non of an efficient and credible rule of law.
